I am an Heating and A/C specialist, and as with several other professions, I am required to take annual continuing education classes to keep modern on the ever-changing technologies of heating, ventilation and cooling.
I recently completed a class on solar power, since I know that clean and sustainable energy sources are becoming more and more in demand, creating heat from the sunshine seems pretty obvious, although I learned that complete heating and air conditioning units can also be set up.
Solar modules are installed to power the building’s central heat and air conditioning unit. The solar-powered a/c is certain in that you can plug in the solar panels and start using the a/c immediately. This would be a hybrid of traditional and solar electrical usage in that the unit would run off solar power during the daytime and off the utility company at night, but with two or three solar panels, the resulting savings are incredible. Solar-assisted cooling systems use a thermal-chemical absorption to produce cool air. This process is similar to refrigeration except that there is no compressor involved. Heating systems, such as radiant-floor systems, are another system of heating that are able to convert to solar systems… Pipes that are embedded in the floor contain liquid that is heated using solar powered energy. Other heating and cooling systems, such as baseboard and portable units, are currently in the process of converting to solar-powered energy, all driven by the demand for economical and environmental solutions. By the time I finished the course, I was prepared to sit for the certification exam, which I passed. And since most states now require that Heating and A/C companys be certified in order to toil on new solar technologies, I feel like I’m already ahead of the game.